This season, the Clippers’ schedule seems easier than in other years or compared to other rivals’, but there are nuances.
The start of the season is, at first glance, the more forgiving part. The total number of back-to-back games is reduced, from seventeen last season, with a record of 11-6, to fifteen this season.
They will no longer have matinee games at the Intuit Dome. These games were difficult for them in other years. They had a negative record in matinee games. The Clippers will have five away matinee games against Boston, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Minnesota, and Washington. They will also have extra rest after the NBA Cup and All-Star weekend.
However, the Clippers’ schedule does have one glaringly rough stretch that should concern fans.
Mark Your Calendars
Here are the most important games in Clippers’ calendar for each month:
October
Debut in Utah (10/22), first game at Intuit (10/24)
November
Back-to-back Norman Powell returns to Intuit (11/3) then vs. the champions (11/4), Bradley Beal returns to Phoenix (11/6), Playoff rematch vs. Denver (11/12)
December
First LA derby at Intuit (12/20), Rockets on 12/23, Pistons on 12/28
January
Warriors at LAC (01/05), Eastern road trip (01/07-10-11: NYK-BKN-DET), second home game vs. Lakers (01/22), only visit to Denver (01/30)
February
Cavs at LAC (02/04), back-to-back games against Houston (02/10-11), back-to-back Denver-LAL (02/19-20), host Minnesota (02/26)
March
CP3 returns to SAS (03/06), Brook Lopez returns to MIL (03/29)
April
Back-to-back against Mavs-Thunder (04/07-08), season finale vs Warriors (04/12)
Difficulty of the Clippers’ schedule
The difficult part of the Clippers’ schedule comes in the final stretch of the season — it’s one of the most difficult for any team in the league. In March, they will play 18 games, four back-to-backs, and two sets of five games in seven days. This is the most games played in March by the Clippers since Chris Paul‘s departure in 2017.
Every team is going to have a rough month, but the issue with the Clippers’ schedule is which month that is for them — March. A month before the end of the season, when every game will start to really matter for seeding and be key to the team’s standing, especially in a conference as tight and competitive as the West.
Thankfully though, this year, the Clippers are not one of the teams with the highest number of back-to-backs throughout the season. They’ve been plagued by back-to-backs in years past.
Clippers nationally televised games
The Clippers will have a total of 21 games televised on national broadcasts this season. They will have seven games televised on ESPN, seven on NBA TV, three on Peacock, and four on Prime. This means the Clippers have the 12th most nationally televised games in the league.
There is constant uncertainty about whether or not the Clippers have a real chance of competing for the title. Despite all indications that Kawhi Leonard will remain healthy and the Clippers will be competitive, the league is choosing to play it safe with them, hence why they are a middle-of-the-pack TV package.
If the Clippers want to secure home court advantage in the playoffs, it appears March will likely determine whether this season ends in contention or disappointment.
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